Journal Entry 1 by Gooner from March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, July 30, 2003

I finished this - it had a vague sort feeling about it - viewed through a gauze. A very cinematic kind of book.

Not surprisingly, I suppose, as the narrator was telling what she observed from heaven.

Quite interesting commentary on life in a small-town US community.

I bought this as part of a "3 for 2" deal at Waterstones. Would be happy to start it off on a bookray/bookring. Please PM me on that ...
Bookring for "The Lovely Bones"

1. Annelis - Finland
2. Mytilusgirl - UK?
3. Tuz - Brazil
4. MaLu - Brazil
5. Annet74 - Netherlands
6. Weebly - UK
7. Anfield - UK
8. angi612uk
9. spike1972uk
10. ragtimebabe
11. Decembermum
12. rainbow3
13. MarianFrench
14. cambridgelass
15. akg - passed to friend in March '05
16. akg's friend
17. Therese
18. Gooner - UK
 

Journal Entry 2 by Annelis from Kerava, Uusimaa Finland on Friday, September 05, 2003

Journal Entry 3 by Annelis from Kerava, Uusimaa Finland on Friday, October 17, 2003

Journal Entry 4 by Mytilus from Plymouth, Devon United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 29, 2003

The Lovely Bones has arrived safe and sound. I'll start it today... 

Journal Entry 5 by Mytilus from Plymouth, Devon United Kingdom on Sunday, November 09, 2003

Initially I worried that I might find the subject matter too disturbing, after all, the book IS written from the viewpoint of a raped and murdered child. And yet the story is not only gripping, but engaging too. The characters are well-drawn and the portrayal of heaven is as delightful as it is novel.

All in all, “The Lovely Bones” is one of those special books that reaches out and touches you. I heartily recommend this book. If you are included in this bookring, be patient, your time will come. If you are not, then go and buy a copy now.
 

Journal Entry 6 by Tuz from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais Brazil on Friday, November 21, 2003

Received in the mail today - thanks Chrisp93 and Mytilusgirl!

Nov 25th

I finished reading it last night. I first wanted to read this book because it is a bestseller, and I wanted to know why it was so appealing. I didn't know what its subject was until I read the reviews in this page. Even with a little information, I found the story an unexpected experience altogether. As I read it, I never knew which way the story would go, and how the characters would act and react - which is a good thing. The characters are very human, there seems to be a total lack of stereotypes in them. I must confess that due to this, I felt the story a bit uninteresting and dull at a few times :). Many times the story would lead to a point where I expected something exciting would happen and then it didn't. The story itself has many aspects - the heavy subject of rape and murder of a teenage girl (Susie); relationship with death (Ruth); and dynamics of family relationships (Susie's family), and, if on one hand there is an overall atmosphere of sadness that pervades the whole book, on the other hand there are delicate traces of hope.

Thanks again for the opportunity to read it, Chrisp93! :)
 

Journal Entry 7 by MaLu from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais Brazil on Sunday, November 30, 2003

Tuz sent me the book, and I'm anxious to read this bestseller!! :)
Soon I come back to write my opinion...!

--------------------------------------------

I finished the reading on Sunday and I think it's a very good book!
It was interesting to see the idea of heaven and the relationship with the dead in a different point of view. The way that Susie take us to watch her experience after death and the manner that she leads on this subject (the death and the relationship with her family and friends - who are still alive) is very different from everything that I've ever read and thought. At the beginnig of the story, I couldn't understand why this book is a bestseller, but then, when I caught the middle of the narrative I got it. And from this part until the end I loved the book!! :)

Thanks!! :) 

Journal Entry 8 by Tuz from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais Brazil on Monday, February 09, 2004

I sent it to Annet74 on Feb. 6th, 2004.

Have a nice reading! 

Journal Entry 9 by Annet74 from Groningen, Groningen Netherlands on Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Yikes! Almost forget that this was part of a bookring. Sorry about that and thanks for reminding me, Chrisp93! I received it last week and just couldn't put it down, I just had to continue reading, practically in a single sitting, as the cover suggests!
Anyway, I'll contact the next person in the bookring and send it on! Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 10 by weebly from Hartwell, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Friday, March 05, 2004

This arrived today - many thanks.

I am going on my hols today - and I am going to take books with me to release. SO this will stay at home ready to be read in a weeks time when I return!

And thanks for the postcard of your home town - I have just bought some with pictures of my village to send out with books! 

Journal Entry 11 by weebly from Hartwell, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 16, 2004

I really enjoyed this book, despite the disturbing subject, and couldn't put it down, although I did cry alot at times. A good cry can be very theraputic! Heaven sounded nice - to be able to catch up with my Grandads would be lovely, I wonder how my heaven would look? It would have books and computers I am sure!

My DH will read this book, he read some over my shoulder until I stoppped him! Then it can return home to Chrisp 

Journal Entry 12 by weebly from Hartwell, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Saturday, March 20, 2004

DH had to spend all evening yesterday sat down - I wont say why - but you may know if you read BCUK chat!

He enjoyed this book too, and wouldn;t come to bed until he had finished reading it.

Ready to go to it's next reader now. 

Journal Entry 13 by Anfield from Bagshot, Surrey United Kingdom on Wednesday, March 24, 2004

received in the post today. 

Journal Entry 14 by Anfield from Bagshot, Surrey United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 30, 2004

Great book. Tense in places and very moving. A "single sitting" book that even I managed in 2 sittings because it was hard to put down. A surprise or two along the way, even if some of the story was predictabale in places. Well recommended.
Will post back to gooner in the next few days, unless instructed otherwise! 

Journal Entry 15 by angi612uk from Exmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Saturday, April 03, 2004

Received today from Anfield. Thank you, I look forward to reading it. 

Journal Entry 16 by angi612uk from Exmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Monday, April 12, 2004

Excellent book, unnerving at times.
Posted to Spike1972uk. 

Journal Entry 17 by spike1972 from Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Friday, April 16, 2004

This landed safely with me this morning, from angi612uk, so thanks Angi! ;o)

I'll journal again in a day or two. 

Journal Entry 18 by ragtimebabe on Tuesday, May 18, 2004

I really enjoyed this book. As in "Lucky" the author deals with what are very disturbing topics and manages to weave a sensitive and compelling narrative which delves deep into how poeple react to the same event and how it shapes their lives. Set against a background of middle class America in the '70s and told from the point of view of a girl watching from her heaven this is a gripping and thought provoking read.
I've passed it to Decembermum. 

Journal Entry 19 by Decembermum from Maisons-Laffitte, Ile-de-France France on Thursday, May 20, 2004

Received this from
Ragtimebabe, will take on holiday to read. 

Journal Entry 20 by Decembermum from Maisons-Laffitte, Ile-de-France France on Tuesday, June 08, 2004

A very moving account of how the violent death of a child can affect a family and a community. I liked the device of using the murdered girl to narrate it.

Will send on to rainbow3 

Journal Entry 21 by rainbow3 from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Thursday, June 17, 2004

This has arrived from Decembermum and will be sent to Gooner after I have enjoyed it. Looks riveting but mustn’t touch it till I have finished some other rings and rings… 

Journal Entry 22 by rainbow3 from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 08, 2004

Sitting here wondering how to journal this, the tricky issue being, sorting out how I really feel. OK… I think it’s really stunning! It treads very lightly but took me really deeply into a story that otherwise I would have had the greatest of difficulty bearing with. It makes disturbing reading but thankfully there’s a pervading sense of calmness that pulled me through it. An extremely moving and quite haunting portrayal of hurt, loss and grief. Emotions numbed, yet by the end of the book the idea that life fortunately moves on and good things can occur broke through like a snowdrop in the snow. Wow.

I loved the cover of this Picador copy because the translucent ice blues and the crisp white type seemed to me to echo the mood, with the thin warm orange type [for me signifying Susie Salmon] not completely overwhelmed by all that blue.

Huge thanks to chrisp93 for making it available in the first instance. Aiming to get this into the post tomorrow, to the next on the ring, MarianFrench.
 

Journal Entry 23 by MarianFrench from Buxton, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Friday, September 10, 2004

The book arrived today, safe and sound. Thank you Rainbow3 for the lovely postcard.
Marian 

Journal Entry 24 by MarianFrench from Buxton, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 19, 2004

This is a great story. I am not sure that I like the the thought of all our loved ones sitting up there checking out what we are up to but perhaps it would make us better people. Very moving and thought provoking and I love the idea of having our "own" heavens. Thank you for starting this ring Gooner. Marian 

Journal Entry 25 by cambridgelass from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 20, 2004

The book has arrived safe and well. it was sitting on my chair when i arrived home from school today which was exciting. will begin reading immediatly. 

Journal Entry 26 by cambridgelass from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Friday, October 29, 2004

Wow, what a great read. The story was shocking and am disturbed that i enjoyed reading it. It had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what will happen next.
I didn't really like the ending thought was a little cheesy.
well will send back to gooner now as i'm last on the list. 

Journal Entry 27 by cambridgelass at on Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Released 7 yrs ago (2/16/2005 UTC) at

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Released to fellow bookcrosser via post this afternoon 

Journal Entry 28 by akg from Didcot, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Friday, February 18, 2005

Arrived in the post today. I'm looking forward to reading this as several people have commented on how much they have enjoyed it. 

Journal Entry 29 by akg from Didcot, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 01, 2005

I'm trying to finish my dissertation as the deadline is fast approaching. I therefore need to reduce my distrationa so I have passed this on to a work colleague to read. Lets see if I can finish my work in the time it takes her to finish the book! 

Journal Entry 30 by akg from Didcot, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Sunday, August 21, 2005

Woo hoo! I have finally started reading this book, I'm about 40 pages in. I would have been disappointed to have missed the chance of reading it as lots of people have recommended it to me. Hopefully I'll have it finished soon and ready to pass it on after 6 months! 

Journal Entry 31 by akg from Didcot, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Monday, January 30, 2006

I finished this in August so I don't know why its been sitting in my locker at work for so long without a journal entry or onward travelling. Its hard to write a good review so long after finishing it, but I will try. I found this book to difficult to classify because it was disturbing but also almost sweet; it was gripping but nothing seemed to happen.

I haven't been able to locate who is next in the ring so I have posted this back to Gooner today. 

Journal Entry 32 by Gooner from March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Wha-hay! It's returned home safely - thank you.

This was once the most book-crossed copy of the most book-crossed book on BookCrossing worldwide. However, its travel plans went out of the window, mid-ring, when it accidentally got stuck.

Thanks very much for returning it, akg.

Perhaps I'll send it travelling again :-)